Reading

こんにちは！

今日は中国（延辺）に住んでいる友達が一時帰国したので、久しぶりに焼き肉を食べに行きました。
彼は延辺に１０年住んでいて、昔話や語学学習の話で盛り上がりました。７時間も話したかなぁ〜。

彼とはこれから Effortless Chinese を創る予定です。
現地人材と私達で、中国語教材開発から始め、将来はセミナーの開催や、チューターリングシステムを考えています。私が現地を離れて、１０年。今年の秋は１０年ぶりに延辺に行きたいと思っています。

Effortless Language のモットーは、外国語を楽しんで継続学習をすること！
楽しくなければ、続けられません。 painfulな教材や学校は行きたくなくなりますよねー。
毎日、今日も楽しく語学に触れたなぁー！１つ新しいフレーズを覚えたよ！と言う感じでいいと思います。


そうそう、焼き肉やでアルバイトの中国人学生と中国語で話しました。
久しぶりに中国語を使ったのですが、その人に「中国人？」って聞かれて、よかった！中国語落ちてないなぁーと思いました。：）　もしかしたら見た目が中国人ポイからかもしれないけど．．．。
昔取った杵柄？英語と中国語が話せたら、どこに行っても、多くの人とコミュニケーションができるのでうれしいです。

彼は中国語、朝鮮語が話せます。今はロシア語を勉強中。彼の学習方法は「語学学習は体力勝負だー！」
ちょっと熱血な感じです。特に彼は学習した事を忘れないように読書、リーディングに重点を置いています。

AJのブログより、

The Power of Narrow Reading and Listening

Dr. Stephen Krashen is the top language learning expert in the world. He just published a new paper with Dr. Clara Lee Brown titled, "What is Academic Language Proficiency?"

In the article, Drs. Krashen and Brown discuss the best strategies for learning "academic English". Academic English is basically Advanced English. Its the English you need to succeed in universities and professional jobs.

Academic English is the next step after fluency.

So, how do you learn academic fluency? What does the research show?

1. Narrow Reading and Listening
"The narrow reading strategy is to read texts by one author, which helps ensure comprehension and natural repetition of vocabulary and grammar." (Krashen, 2004b).

Many students believe that they must listen to MANY different speakers and read many different authors. But, in fact, this is a less successful method. Picking just one speaker or writer is much better. Why?

Because speakers and writers naturally repeat many words and phrases. Each speaker has their favorite set of phrases. In speech, they naturally use these many times. By focusing on just one speaker, you will automatically get a lot of repetition of new vocabulary and grammar.

In other words, you will learn English deeply. If you want to learn academic English, you should listen to a speaker who discusses advanced topics. For example, in my level 3. lessons, you hear me discuss many academic-level topics related to culture, politics, human rights, and relationships.

By listening to all of the lessons, you naturally get a lot of repetition of common academic words, phrases, and grammar. You learn these deeply, but you don't need to try to memorize them. You learn deeply and automatically. You learn them effortlessly.


2. Don't Study Word Lists or Grammar Rules
We acquire language and develop literacy by understanding messages, not by consciously learning about language and not by deliberate memorization of rules of grammar and vocabulary (Krashen, 1981, 2003).

This is a very important point. To learn Academic Level English, you do not study grammar rules.... and you do not memorize vocabulary lists. As Dr. Krashen says, these strategies are failures. They are not successful.

To learn Academic Level English, you must listen to and read a lot of academic English-- and you must understand it. This seems simple, right?

The important point is that you MUST understand what you hear and read. How do you do that if the English is difficult? First, you can use interesting and fun lessons that help you understand more difficult articles and speeches.

Second, you can start with easy speeches and books, then slowly find more difficult ones. For example, you start listening to easy audiobooks for children. You pick one writer-speaker and listen to all of their books.

Soon, these will seem easy, so you find some books and audiobooks that are a little more difficult. You keep repeating this process, and within a year, you are reading adult novels.... and listening to adult audiobooks.

Finally, you choose academic level books, magazines, and audiobooks that interest you, and you listen to them everyday.

By following these methods, you will learn Academic English. You will understand Advanced vocabulary and grammar. You will correctly use advanced vocabulary and grammar.

And you will never again study grammar rules and vocabulary lists!